Door latch



E. H. LANDIS DOOR LATCH Aug. 27, 1957 Filed Dec. 25, 1954 INVENTOR. 54/?Zf lA/VO/S ATTORNEY United States Patent if DOOR LATCH Earle H. Landis, Wood-Ridge, N. J.

Application December 23, 1954, Serial No. 477,253

7 Claims. (Cl. 292-170) is easier to install, requiring only a brace and bit and screw driver to do so; no chisels are needed, therefore it takes less time to install.

A further object is the provision of a door latch that will avoid making holes in walls as the present conventional type door latch very often does after years of use where it normally touches a wall when the door is swung open. Should the present latch come into contact with a wall, it, being of a spring type, will absorb the shock.

A still further object is the provision of a door latch that has the striking plate and plunger reduced in size, giving it better appearance.

These and other desirable objects are accomplished by the construction disclosed as an illustrative embodi- Patented Aug. 27, 1957 provided with central cutouts which form an opening 15 adapted to encircle the crimped portion 16 of the tube 11. The outer edges of each plate 13 and 14 are provided with recesses 17 to receive in interlocking relation two inwardly disposed flanges 18 and 19 on each of the handles 4 and 5. By reference to Figs. 1 and 4 it will be seen readily that the only securing means required are screws 20 and 21 for the two handles, the opposite side of each handle being interlocked by flanges 18 and 19 to the plates 13 and 14. The only other required fastening means are screws 22 and 23 for the face plate 12, Fig. 5. This is important since only four screws are required to complete the entire assembly.

A plunger 24 is disposed for axial movement in the tube 11 for the purpose of engaging and disengaging the jamb plate 25 which is mounted in the door jamb 26 by screws 27. A secondary spring 28 is coiled about the plunger between the plunger plate 12 and a shoulder 29 on the plunger to normally urge the plunger inwardly toward latch releasing position. The main spring 9, however, engages the inner end of the plunger and since the main spring is of greater strength than spring 28 it forces the plunger-into latching position counter to the action of the spring 28. The proportions are so chosen that the spring 9 is normally slightly bowed in spring I tension against the inner end of the plunger.

ment of the invention in the following description and in the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal section view of the push button door latch installed in a door. It also shows the jamb plate and screws holding the jamb plate in place on a door jamb.

Figs. 2 and 3 are front and end elevational views of curved split plate that secures the plunger tube.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section view taken along line 44 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 5 is a front view in elevation of the push button door latch.

Referring to the drawings, Fig. 1 shows the latch applied to a door lg'the door being prepared with two openings 2Iand 3. A cardboardtemplate; not shown, is-used to locate .the. openings 2 and 3, preferably of sizes 1 4 and y respectively. .The outerend of the opening 3 is recessed to 1 /4" diameter and a depth of The opening 3 extends at right angles to and opens into the opening 2. A pair of handles 4 and 5 of tubular form are flared at their inner and outer ends as shown and are mounted on opposite sides of the door in axial alignment with the opening 2. Push buttons 6 and 7 are received axially within the handles 4 and 5, each push button having a flared inner end 8 adapted to engage the inner flared portion of the handle and thereby limit movement thereof in an outward direction. A main spring 9, preferably of flat strip material, with the ends thereof bent at right angles as indicated at 10 is disposed in the opening 2 with the ends thereof engaging the closed ends of the push buttons forcing them to their outer positions.

The opening 3 is adapted to receive a plunger tube 11 having an end plate 12, which plate is receivable in the recessed portion of the opening 3. The inner end of the tube 11 is crimped inwardly at 16 for interlocking engagement with the two-piece plate 13, 14. This twopiece plate is shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The plates are When one of the push buttons is pressed to release the latch it causes the main spring 9 to bow further in a direction away from the plunger thereby releasing the plunger for movement by the auxiliary spring 28 the plunger being thereby forced inwardly, following the bowing of the main spring, to latch releasing position. As soon as the push button is released, the main spring 9 tends to straighten and thereby force the plunger back toward latching position counter to the action of the auxiliary spring 28.

It will be clear to those skilled in the art that many changes may be made in the assembled parts without departing from the principle of the invention. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is to be interpreted according to the state of the prior art and the appended claims.

I claim: 7

l. A door latch for a door having a first opening therethrough adjacent the swinging edge thereof and a second opening in the swinging edge at right angles to and opening into said first opening, comprising a push button, means disposing said push button for movement axially of'said first opening, a main spring disposed in said openin'gnormally urging said push button to its outer position, a plunger disposed in said second opening and having a secondary spring associated therewith to normally urge said plunger inwardly toward latch releasing position, the inner end of said plunger extending into said first opening in engagement with said main spring, the strength of said main spring being suiiicient to normally urge said plunger outwardly into latching position counter to the action of said secondary spring, said push button when pressed inwardly operating to distort said main spring in a direction away from and axially of said plunger which permits said secondary spring to move said plunger inwardly to latch releasing position.

2. A door latch according to claim 1 wherein the main spring is of flat strip form and the inner end of said plunger engages the flat strip intermediate its ends so that when the push button is actuated it causes the strip to bow in a direction away from said plunger.

3. A door latch for a door having a first opening therethrough adjacent the swinging edge thereof and a second opening in the swinging edge at right angles to and opening into said first opening, comprising a tubular handle adapted to be mounted in axial alignment with said first and having a secondary spring associated therewith to normally urge said plunger inwardly toward latch releasing position, the inner end of said plunger extending into said first opening in engagement with saidmain spring, the strength of said main spring being sufficient to normally hold said plunger into latching position counter to the action of said secondary spring, said push button when pressed inwardly operating to distort said main spring in a direction away from and axially of said plunger to permit said secondary spring to move said plunger inwardly to latch releasing position.

4. A door latch for a door having a first opening therethrough adjacent the swinging edge thereof and a second opening in the swinging edge at right angles to and opening into said first opening, comprising a pair of push buttons, means disposing said push buttons on opposite sides of said door for movement axially inwardly of said first opening, a main spring disposed between said push buttons to normally hold the push buttons in their outer positions, and a plunger disposed in said second opening and having a. secondary spring associated therewith to normally urge said plunger toward a latch releasing position, the inner end of said plunger being held by said secondary spring under tension against the central portion of said main spring, the strength of said main spring being suflicient to normally hold said plunger in outward latching position counter to the action of said secondary spring, and the inward pressing of one of said push buttons operating to distort said main spring in'a direction away from said plunger thereby permitting said secondary spring to move said plunger inwardly to its latch releasing position.

5. A door latch for a door having a first opening therethrough adjacent the swinging edge thereof and a second opening in the swinging edge at right angles to and opening into said first opening, comprising a pair of tubular handles adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of said door in axial alignment with said first opening, a pair of push buttons disposed for movementaxially inwardly of said tubular handles, said push buttons each having a part to engage its associated handle to limit its outward movement, a main spring disposed between said push buttons to normally hold the push buttons in their outer positions and a plunger disposed in said second opening and having a secondary spring associated therewith to normally urge said plunger toward a latch releasing position, the inner end of said plunger being held by said secondary spring in engagement with the said central portion of said main spring, the strength of said main spring being sufiicient to normally hold said plunger in outward latching position counter to the action of said secondary spring, and the inward pressing of one of said push buttons operating to bow said main spring in a direction away from said plunger thereby permitting said secondary spring to move said plunger inwardly to its latch releasing position.

6. A door latch for a door having a first opening therethrough adjacent the swinging edge thereof and a second opening in the swinging edge at right angles to and opening into said first opening, comprising a pair of tubular handles adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of said door in axial alignment with said first opening, a pair of push buttons, means disposing said push buttons for movement from outer protruding positions axially inwardly of said tubular handles, an elongated main spring disposed between said push buttons to normally hold the push buttons in their outer protruding positions, a plunger, a tubedisposed in said second opening to guide said plunger axially thereof, a secondary spring to normally urge said plunger inwardly toward a latch releasing position, the inner end of said plunger being held by said secondary spring in engagement with the said central portion of said main spring, the strength of said main spring being sufficient to normally holdsaid plunger into outward latching position counter to the action of said secondary spring, and the inward pressing of one of said push buttons operating to bow said main spring in a direction away from said plunger thereby permitting said secondary spring to move said plunger inwardly to its latch releasing position, and means to couple said tube in assembled relation to said handles.

7. A door latch for a door having a first opening therethrough adjacent a swinging edge thereof and a second opening in the swinging edge at right angles to and opening into said first opening, comprising a pair of tubular handles adapted to be mounted on opposite sides of said door in axial alignment with said first opening, a plunger 7 tube disposed in said second opening and extending into said first opening, the inner end of said tube being crimped to a diameter smaller than the diameter of said tube, a two-piece plate having cutouts forming an opening to encircle the crimped portion of said tube, said two-piece plate being disposed in said first opening and having recesses adjacent the ends thereof adapted to be located just beyond the ends of said first opening, each of said handles having a pair of inwardly disposed flanges receivable in said recesses, and means to secure each handle to said door with its inwardly disposed flanges interlocked with said two-piece plate.

References Cited the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,021,864 Denzler Apr. 2, 1912 2,191,437 Bode Feb. 27, 1940 Ross Nov. 12, 1940 

